Badgers Add Peltonen to 2018 Class

Wisconsin men’s hockey coach Tony Granato has announced the signing of defenseman Jesper Peltonen to a National Letter of Intent. Peltonen is expected to join the Badgers for the fall semester.

The 5’11, 180-pound defenseman skated for the USHL’s Omaha Lancers during the 2017-18 season and posted four goals and nine points in 56 games played. He helped Omaha place second in the USHL’s Western Conference. He also added a goal and two assists in four games of the playoffs, which tied for second on the team.

A Helsinki, Finland, native, Peltonen went to Northwood School in Lake Placid, New York, the same school that head coach Tony Granato attended, as well as current UW goaltender Johan Blomquist.

Peltonen’s father, Ville, played nearly 400 NHL games over eight seasons for San Jose, Nashville and Florida. Ville is also a four-time Olympian for Finland, winning three bronze medals and a silver medal between 1994 and 2010.